DDSCB3: Strategy, Strategy, Strategy: The Josh Drake Story

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I've basically inserted myself into the game and my initial team is Grand Canyon.

Coach Name: Josh Drake

Birthdate: 3/25/1998 (Age 16)

Height: 5 feet, 3 inches

Weight 115 Lbs.

Birthplace: Shelby, NC

Residence: Grover, NC

Team: Grand Canyon Antelopes

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Conference:

Team Prestige: 10 (+9 from head coach hiring)

Conference Prestige: 19

Facilities: D-

Academics: B-

Other WAC Members:

Cal State-Bakersfield

Chicago State

Missouri-Kansas City

New Mexico State

Seattle

Texas Pan American

Utah Valley State

'LOPETV

(EPISODE #1: A NEW FACE IN TOWN)

(Grand Canyon Athletic Director Keith Baker is on a stool in the middle of the court of GCU Arena awaiting the arrival of Coach Drake)

Keith Baker: At this moment, I would like to welcome the new head coach of Grand Canyon University men's basketball, Josh Drake!

Josh Drake: Hey Keith. How are you doing?

Keith Baker: I'm fine. Now, first question of the day: What is your on-court strategy for this team?

Josh Drake: My strategy? Full court press the entire game and a fast-paced offense, even more fast-paced than Paul Westhead's Loyola Marymount teams from the 90's and VMI today.

Keith Baker: Secondly, you have $47,000 in budget left from $78,000 in assistant coach costs. What types of guys are you aiming to recruit here considering this limitation?

Josh Drake: I'm looking for those pure athletes out there who can take the fast pace, who can take the physical play, who can take on the challenge of a highly-competitive schedule day in and day out, and can dish it out right back to their opponent.

Keith Baker: Now that we've gotten those two things out of the way, tell me about your personal life.

Josh Drake: Well, I was born in Shelby, North Carolina, and I later moved to Grover, I have a girlfriend named Kimberly. She's the type of girl that breaks the windows and sets the kitchen on fire (LOL), AND I WAS AN A+ Student at Kings Mountain High School.

Keith Baker: Wow, looks like I've hired the right guy for the job (LOL).

Josh Drake: Oh, and one more thing, I almost forgot: I'm into Bon Jovi and T. Powell.

Keith Baker: T. Powell (LOL)? Who the heck is T. Powell (LOL)?

Josh Drake: You don't know who T. Powell is? Here, let me show you!

(Drake gets up from the stool and stands over Baker with his face off-camera as he prepares to sing 'Clear Eyes Full Hearts')

I got my fans in the stands, my team on my back

My family in my heart, I put my city on the map

See I’m cool with my school but I know I can do better.

I checked the mail yesterday and not one college letter.

Not one college offer after all this hard work.

I’d be telling you a lie if I said it didn’t hurt.

So how do I stay focused in this game called life?

And do I have a fair chance when this world so schife?

See we all pay a price; I got some things on my mind.

But I need to regain my focus, cause its game time.

Give all, leave nothing.

In the end, I got to choose.

Clear Eyes, Full Heart

I can’t lose!

(x2)

Clear Eyes, Full Heart, Can’t Lose

Clear Eyes, Full Heart, Can’t Lose

Clear Eyes, Full Heart, Can’t Lose

Clear Eyes

Now look me in the eyes,

And put your hand in mine

Forever is about to happen,

Right here in this moment of time

So let’s draw a line,

Right here in the sand

And let it be said that on this very day,

Is the day that we took a stand

Cause it’s not just a game,

It’s more than a game

It’s more than the hurt,

It’s more than the pain

It’s more than the glory,

It’s more than the fame

This right here,

Is about legacy man.

So it’s bigger than me,

It’s bigger than us

We can lose sight,

In the mist of the fuss.

Let’s slow it down and take it in

Enjoy this moment, what’s the rush

They want it bad, but we want it more.

This is what we been waiting for.

With tears in our eyes, we let our hearts roar

Unleash war when we walk out this door

We won’t be delayed

We won’t be denied

In the end, we won’t be refused

With Clear Eyes, a Full Heart

There’s no way that we can lose!

(x2)

Clear Eyes, Full Heart, Can’t Lose

Clear Eyes, Full Heart, Can’t Lose

Clear Eyes, Full Heart, Can’t Lose

Clear Eyes

(Drake walks off the set in a blaze of glory (no pun intended) as Baker is left all alone in wonder at the webcast set.)

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Grand Canyon won the opening tip and never looked back as they never gave up the lead from the opening score of the game on. The Canyon's Full Court Press Defense and Coach Drake's name could be heard being chanted throughout GCU Arena as the Antelopes held Mason to 0 Fast Break Points and 0 Points off Offensive Rebounds at halftime (The Patriots eventually managed to score 10 Fast Break Points and 8 points off offensive rebounds to conclude the game.) George Mason was outscored 54-18 in total Points in the Paint.

Final: Grand Canyon 95, George Mason 65

Grand Canyon Scorers:

Marc-Andre Browner (23)

Dave Hathaway (12)

Jordan Hearns (11)

Brandon Alexander (10)

Aaron Barnes (9)

Jason Grant (8)

Cliff Van Helsing (7)

Randy Dench (5)

Marco Lumpkin (4)

Chris McGregg (4)

Martin Piatowski (3)

Shoddy Lowe (2)

John Bailey (2)

George Mason Scorers:

John Delzell (14)

Lindsey Bunson (12)

Ryan Harmon (10)

Anthony Lay (8)

Michael Walker (6)

Max Stewart (4)

Lonnie Crosby (3)

Jon Parker (3)

Greg Bradley (2)

Jarian Peterson (2)

Keith Johnson (1)

Player in bold indicates Player of the Game

OTHER NOTABLE STATS:

3-Point Field Goals:

Grand Canyon: 6-11 (.545)

George Mason: 4-13 (.308)

Fouls:

Grand Canyon: 23

George Mason: 13

Total Field Goals:

Grand Canyon: 40-79 (.506)

George Mason: 18-45 (.400)

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Pepperdine and Grand Canyon battled back-and-forth for most of the 1st half, trading the lead 5 times and tying the score 3 times, before GCU took a 13-point lead into halftime. Oddly, Pepperdine's 1st half had come about despite 16 turnovers to Grand Canyon's 6. Grand Canyon never lost the lead in the 2nd half and won easily.

Final: Grand Canyon 77, Pepperdine 51

Grand Canyon Scorers:

Marc-Andre Browner (36)

Brandon Alexander (13)

Marco Lumpkin (8)

Dave Hathaway (6)

Jordan Hearns (6)

Quintin Howard (4)

Martin Piatowski (2)

Shoddy Lowe (2)

Pepperdine Scorers:

Jarron McGee (15)

Dan Curry (10)

Aaron McKenn (9)

Shawn Carey (6)

Michael McGovern (4)

Justin Stevenson (3)

C.D. Styles (2)

Mihail Daniels (2)

Player in bold indicates Player of the Game

OTHER NOTABLE STATS:

3-Point Field Goals:

Grand Canyon: 1-7 (.143)

Pepperdine: 5-16 (.313)

Turnovers:

Grand Canyon: 12

Pepperdine: 28

Points in the Paint:

Grand Canyon: 50

Pepperdine: 22

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The Zags scored the first 2 points of the game, but what followed next was a 23-5 run for the Antelopes, and despite the Bulldogs becoming the first team to outscore Drake in Points in the Paint, GCU led 41-31 at the break. The 2nd half was one of the toughest for Drake so far in his career, as Mark Few and Co. took an 8-point lead with 7 minutes left. After a timeout, The 'Lopes came back to within 1 with 5 seconds left, and Marc-Andre Browner hit the game-winning 3 at the buzzer.

Final: Grand Canyon 79, #24 Gonzaga 77

Grand Canyon Scorers:

Marc-Andre Browner (25)

Quintin Howard (9)

Dave Hathaway (8)

Jason Grant (8)

Brandon Alexander (6)

Cliff Van Helsing (4)

Martin Piatowski (4)

Aaron Barnes (4)

Marco Lumpkin (3)

Jordan Hearns (2)

Randy Dench (2)

#24 Gonzaga Scorers:

Jason Chambers (24)

Donald Finger (14)

Mike Battle (8)

Henry Lee (7)

David Callier (6)

Jeff Kirkland (5)

Jamal Sarpe (5)

Desmond Burch (5)

Simon Autry (2)

Adrian Gotti (1)

Player in bold indicates Player of the Game

OTHER NOTABLE STATS:

Points In The Paint:

Grand Canyon: 32

#24 Gonzaga: 48

Free Throws:

Grand Canyon: 16-18 (.889)

#24 Gonzaga: 10-15 (.667)

Turnovers:

Grand Canyon: 13

#24 Gonzaga: 13

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Grand Canyon debuted their alternate black and purple jerseys on this night as the Sacramento State Hornets, coming in with a chip on their shoulder, took the lead 3 times and ended the half down by 12. In the second half, Sacramento State came within 3 of the lead with 8:11 to go before Drake called a timeout, motivating his players and leading them to a 12-point victory.

Final: Grand Canyon 71, Sacramento State 59

Grand Canyon Scorers:

Marc-Andre Browner (18)

Brandon Alexander (12)

Dave Hathaway (8)

Quintin Howard (8)

Cliff Van Helsing (7)

Jordan Hearns (6)

Chris McGregg (4)

Martin Piatowski (2)

Jason Grant (2)

Aaron Barnes (2)

Marco Lumpkin (2)

Sacramento State Scorers:

Derrick Watkins (16)

Glen Harris (13)

Ivan Woodinger (8)

Derek Howell (6)

Charles Daye (5)

Shane Heywood (4)

Dave Webb (3)

Michael Boddicker (2)

B.J. Frahm (2)

OTHER NOTABLE STATS:

3-Point Shooting:

Grand Canyon: 2-12 (.167)

Sacramento State: 4-5 (.800)

Turnovers:

Grand Canyon: 9

Sacramento State: 22

Total Rebounds:

Grand Canyon: 26

Sacramento State: 38

Free Throws:

Grand Canyon: 15-25 (.600)

Sacramento State: 13-16 (.813)

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Grand Canyon never lost the lead in the 1st half, as the Full Court Press Defense wore CSU-Fullerton down physically, mentally, and emotionally just like it did late in the 2nd half against Gonzaga, and just like it did late in the 2nd half against Sacramento State. The 2nd half saw the Titans make up ground, but not enough as GCU pulled out the W.